Claims:1. A dynamic, compact and automated air purification and disinfection system (100) comprising:

an inflow vent (1),

a primary purifying and disinfecting unit comprising an ion-capture filter (10) which consists of an integrated ionizer (11) and collector plates (12) to achieve uniform electric field with low resistance, and wherein baffles (13) are provided on sides of the said ion-capture filter (10) to direct airflow and minimize the losses;

a hybrid electric composite filter (20) which consists of a pre-filter (21), HEPA (High efficiency particulate air) filter (22), and an activated catalyst filter (23) stacked together to reduce the pressure drop between them and to facilitate higher clean air delivery; and

an outflow vent (40) to optimize the flowrate while keeping the noise minimum.

2. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said HEPA filters (22) have a pleated structure made from a fibrous material which forms a complex web-like structure to trap the contaminant particles via inertial impaction and sieving.

3. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said combination of ionization process and electrostatic attraction of particles, attracts fine particles up to 0.003 microns.

4. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said activated catalyst filter (23) is a mixture of activated carbon and manganese dioxide granules.

5. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the said collector plate (12) size is optimized as per the aspect ratio

6. The system as claimed in claim 5, wherein the aspect ratio is a function of length, breadth and the number of plates subject to discharge potential, current density and material conductivity.

7. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said system wherein an insulating layer and a cut-off switch is provided at in the enclosure to prevent accidental contact with high voltage currents.

8. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said collector plates (12) are selected from copper, gold, aluminium or steel for greater electric conductivity and the surface of which is kept coarse to achieve higher affinity to dust particles.

9. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said system comprises an intuitive indicator with colour gradient to display real time air quality, which is controlled using IoT integration and air quality sensors.

10. The system as claimed in claim 9 wherein, the colour gradient intuitive indicator indicates blue light if air quality is good, and red light if air quality is bad.

11. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said system comprises a 360º air inflow vent (1) with suction on all four sides of the system, to optimize ionization process and improve minimal pressure drop while keeping the residence time maximum.

12. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the distance between the electrodes (14) is 10-14mm for optimized maximum efficiency of electron migration and to avoid sparking between electrodes (14).

13. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said hybrid electric composite filter (20) is the reinforcement layers of finely chopped fabric, HEPA filter (22) and catalyst filter (23) where major compounds are carbon and manganese dioxide granules.

14. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said electric discharge generates controlled electron streams which emit minimum and precisely controlled ultra violet radiation to enhance further disinfection, which is negligible and harmless to direct human exposure.

15. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said system can be conveniently scalable for different floor area by increasing the suction and CADR of fan (30).

16. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said hybrid electric composite filter (20) and ion-capture filter (10) module, ionizes air streams to optimize the generation of super oxidants like OH radicals, ozone, hydroperoxyl radical and controls NOx, HCHO and CO concentrations in air to achieve superior breakdown of harmful contaminants, disinfection and cleaning.

17. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the system comprises a low power consumption with a voltage potential of 4-7KV.

18. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said electrode sets are made of a material selected from iron, steel, aluminium, copper and carbon for minimum electrical resistivity.
, Description:FIELD OF INVENTION:
The present invention relates to a method and device for air purification and disinfection. Particularly, the invention relates to an integrated, efficient, modular, long lasting and real-time air purification & disinfectant system to ensure safe indoor spaces void of allergens, pathogens and other pollutants.

BACKGROUND AND PRIOR ART:
Air pollution refers to the release of pollutants into the air; pollutants which are detrimental to human health and the planet as a whole. The effects of air pollution on the human body vary depending on the type of pollutant, the length and level of exposure, and other additional factors including a person’s individual health risks and the cumulative impacts of multiple pollutants or stressors.

Air pollution is now the world’s fourth-largest risk factor for early death. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), each year air pollution is responsible for nearly seven million deaths around the globe. Nine out of ten human beings currently breathe air that exceeds the WHO’s guideline limits for pollutants. According to recent studies, scientists have found that air pollution especially from particulate matter less than 2.5 microns wide, known as PM 2.5, significantly raises the risk of Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia. It is believed that as many as 3.8 million people lose their lives prematurely each year as a result of exposure to poor quality indoor air.

Further, the indoor air pollution, which is the degradation of indoor air quality by harmful chemicals and other materials, can be up to 10 times worse than outdoor air pollution. This is because contained areas enable potential pollutants to build up more than in open spaces.

Some of the causes of air pollution are listed below:
• Airborne Pathogens: Multiple pathogens spread by the dissemination of aerosols that remain infectious when suspended in air over long distances. Conventional air purifiers are highly ineffective in neutralization of airborne disease carriers.
• Poor air quality in major cities: Air pollution is a serious health issue in the country. Of the most polluted cities in the world, 21 out of 30 were in India. Air pollution has been found to be a direct factor responsible for at least 1.2 lakh deaths per year in the country.
• Allergies and dust: Dust is a common allergen which if left unchecked can cause severe health hazards. Dust particles consist of particulate matter which can cause chronic lung conditions and aggravate asthma.
• Poor filter life: Conventional air purifiers rely completely on mechanical air filtration due to which the filters get choked within a span of six months and require a replacement. These filters are non-reusable and non-recyclable hence add to pollution.
• No real time-monitoring: The lack of infrastructure forbids us from assessing air quality at hyperlocal level. The need for such data can help us take constructive measures to improve the air quality at local level.
• Volatile organic carbons: Most of the household products use organic solvents which release VOCs in the air. VOCs have adverse effect on health and is considered to be a carcinogenic. VOCs being carcinogenic in nature, long-term exposure often leads to liver and kidney damage as well as central nervous system damage. A generic air purifier is not equipped with the filters to remove VOCs from indoor air.

The conventional air purification systems and methods are ineffective in treating airborne pathogens, some of the drawbacks of the conventional systems are listed herein below-

IN202011037159 relates to an integrated indoor air purifying and sterilizing system comprising a cooling chamber configured to make air cool and to control the relative humidity of the air received from the indoor environment. It further discloses prefilters to filter the air at primary level, an electrostatic precipitator configured to deactivate suspended particles in filtered air from the prefilters, a UV-C source to sterilize the air by killing virus and bacteria, carbon filters for removing and preventing odour/fume build-up in the recirculated air, HEPA filter for filtering air through a fine mesh that can trap harmful particles of up to 0.3 microns, exhaust fans to suck air from room and force through the filters, negative ion generators (Ionizers) to ionize air molecules by creating a static charge around the airborne contaminants, a PM 2.5 monitoring unit to monitor the fine particles in the room, a remote sensing safety system, a power source and a controller to control speed of exhaust fans. As per the disclosure of IN’7159, use of HEPA filter is effective for collection of fine particles only up to 0.3 microns.

IN202011051351 discloses an air purification system using a combination of filters, namely a carbon filter, UV filter, HEPA filter and an electrostatic filter. The said system helps to trap 99.97% particles having size greater than 0.3 microns and can remove harmful smoke, duct, mist, microbes and also viruses from air. IN’1351 thus uses HEPA, UV and carbon filter to collect fine particles greater than 0.3microns.

WO 2015/140776 relates to an air purification device customized for personal use in the vicinity of a user. The said device is a wearable device, around neck or head. The said device comprises three core technologies for air purification that include, negative ionizers, passive filters and active carbon filters. In one particular embodiment, the passive filter is a HEPA filter. In another particular embodiment, the passive filter is an electrostatic filter. Further, WO’776 device includes a UV air purifier or photocatalytic oxidation mechanism to improve the quality of the purified air. The negative ions generated in prior art is only effective for removing smoke from the air, further, the active and passive filters are used for filtration and disinfection. It appears that the ionizer used in WO’776 will not be able to generate sufficient amount of HCHO for a single pass disinfection. Similarly, UV doses for 40mJ.cm^(-2) is to kill at least 99.99% of pathogenic microorganism, where the form factor of said device in WO’776 will not be able to dose required irradiation to the pathogens and thus single pass disinfection cannot be achieved. Also, the possible size of UVC used in WO’776 can have the effective irradiation length of 10-15mm only.

Thus, according to conventional devices, the ionizers are only effective against removing smoke in air. Further, UV sources in the conventional devices are ineffective in removing pathogens. Therefore, there is need for a system which will overcome the above stated drawbacks.

Therefore, the present invention provides a device and process in terms of technology development and process improvement.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION:
It is an object of the present invention is to provide a dynamic, compact and automated air purification system which aims to maintain safe, pollutant-free and airborne pathogen-free indoor environment.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an air purification system which is capable of capturing tiniest particles up to 0.003 microns with 60% higher single pass pollutant and pathogen removal and neutralization efficiency.

This object of the invention is achieved by using a combination of ionization process and electrostatic attraction of particles, thereby attracting the particles of small sizes greater than 0.003 microns which includes cells of bacteria, fungi and many types of viruses. Further, the present invention combines the principles of electrostatic discharge, negative ion generation and ionic wind to improve the efficiency of electrostatic precipitation by more than 40%.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a smart automation in the system which allows the user to view real-time air quality data and compare the same with the outdoor data.
A further object of the present invention is to provide an IoT integrated system which allows the user to control the system remotely and toggle the modes as per the requirements.

The present invention accordingly discloses an integrated & dynamic air purification and disinfection system. The said system includes an electric pre-filtration and post-filtration disinfection unit which provides a robust approach and ensures safe indoor spaces void of allergens, pathogens and other pollutants.

Accordingly, the present invention discloses a dynamic, integrated, compact and automated air purification and disinfection system comprising:
a primary purifying and disinfecting unit for collecting ultrafine particles, comprising an ion-capture filter which consists of an integrated ionizer and collector plates to achieve uniform electric field with low resistance, and wherein baffles are provided on sides of the said ion-capture filter to direct airflow and minimize losses;
a hybrid electric composite filter which consists of a pre-filter, High efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter, and an activated catalyst filter stacked together to reduce the pressure drop between them and to facilitate higher clean air delivery; and
an outflow vent to optimize the flowrate while keeping the noise minimum.

In a further possible embodiment according to the present invention, the said ion-capture filter/primary purifying and disinfecting unit is capable of capturing tiniest particles up to 0.003 microns with 60% higher single pass pollutant and pathogen removal and neutralization efficiency.

In a further possible embodiment according to the invention, the said ion-capture filter combines the principle of electrostatic discharge, negative ion generation and ionic wind to increase the efficiency of electrostatic precipitation by more than 40% and attracts particles greater than 0.003 microns which include cells of bacteria, fungi and many other types of viruses. Further, the use of ionizer and static field results in agglomeration of finer particles and increases the HEPA filter efficiency by at least 20% for finer particles.

In a further possible embodiment according to the present invention, said hybrid electric composite filter and ion-capture module, ionizes air streams to optimize the generation of super oxidants like OH radicals, ozone, hydroperoxyl radical and controls NOx, HCHO and CO concentrations in air to achieve superior breakdown of harmful contaminants, disinfection and cleaning.

In a further possible embodiment according to the present invention, electrodes used in the ionizer chamber are spaced 10-14mm in a geometry with metal spikes that increases the migration of electrons between these electrodes, wherein the alternate electrodes are distant in both the horizontal and vertical axes. Further, the horizontal axis improves the migration of electrons and the vertical axis controls the ionic wind in chamber. Thus, the device provides sufficient contact time for disinfection of pathogens and charging of airborne particles.

In a further possible embodiment according to the present invention, the purification and disinfection achieved with the above grid of strong electromagnetic flux controlled by electrode geometry increases the overall performance of the device by 30%, and particle collection is improved by 96.67%.

In a further possible embodiment according to the present invention, said collector plate size is designed as per the aspect ratio which is function of length, breadth and the number of plates.

In a further possible embodiment according to the present invention, said collector plates are selected from copper, gold, aluminium or steel for greater electric conductivity and, the surface is kept coarse to achieve higher affinity to dust particles.
In a further possible embodiment according to the present invention, aluminium collector plates are used considering optimal efficacy and reasonable price for the user.

In a further possible embodiment according to the present invention, the distance between the electrodes is 10-14mm for optimized maximum efficiency of electron migration and to avoid sparking between electrodes.

In a further possible embodiment according to the present invention, said HEPA filters have a pleated structure made from a fibrous material which forms a complex web-like structure to trap the contaminant particles via inertial impaction and sieving.

In a further possible embodiment according to the present invention, said hybrid electric composite filter is the reinforcement layers of finely chopped fabric, HEPA filter and catalyst filter where major compounds are carbon and manganese dioxide granules.

In a further possible embodiment according to the present invention, said activated catalyst filter comprises at least one major compound selected from carbon, manganese dioxide granules and combinations thereof.

In a further possible embodiment according to the present invention, said electric discharge generates controlled electron streams which emit minimum and precisely controlled ultra violet radiation to enhance further disinfection, which is negligible and harmless to direct human exposure.

In a further possible embodiment according to the present invention, said electrode sets are made of a material selected from iron, steel, aluminium, copper and carbon for minimum electrical resistivity.

In a further possible embodiment according to the present invention, the electrode assembly is powered by a single power source.

In a further possible embodiment according to the present invention, the system comprises an insulating layer and a cut-off switch in the enclosure to prevent accidental contact with high voltage currents and ultraviolet radiation.

In a further possible embodiment according to the present invention, said system comprises an intuitive indicator with colour gradient to display real time air quality which is controlled using IOT integration of device and air quality sensors. Further the said colour gradient intuitive indicator displays real time air quality and indicates blue light if air quality is good, else red light if air quality is bad.

In a further possible embodiment according to the present invention, said system comprises a 360º air inflow vent with suction on all four sides of the system, to optimize ionization process and improve minimal pressure drop while keeping the residence time maximum.

In a further possible embodiment according to the present invention, said system can be conveniently scalable for different floor area by increasing the suction and CADR of fan.

In a further possible embodiment according to the present invention, the system comprises a low voltage potential of 4-7KV (25% lower than the conventional air purification system) thereby lowering the power consumption.

In a further possible embodiment according to the present invention, said advanced ion-capture filter is reusable and can be cleaned by the user with ease.

In a further possible embodiment according to the present invention, the said air purification and disinfection system addresses a wide spectrum of contaminants which include particulate matter, volatile organic compounds, viruses, bacteria, spores, fungi, moulds and other pathogens, and also carbon monoxide, soot, smoke, formaldehyde, benzene, toluene, etc present in the air.

Further, it is an object of the present invention to provide a long lasting non-consumable ion-capture filter.

In a further possible embodiment according to the present invention, the ionized stream of ion-capture filter is aided by a potential flux aided ionic wind which ensures the disinfection of fungi, bacteria, viruses like pathogens. Thus, the present invention eliminates the requirement of using any further source like UV and separate electrostatic precipitator. Further, this system achieves at least 5 passes per hour as per safe Air Cycle Change WHO guidelines.

This feature of the ion-capture filter reduces the cost of spatial purification and disinfection by reducing power consumption by 30% and achieving cost benefits of over 25% due to use of single point power supply.

In a further possible embodiment according to the present invention, the system is conveniently scalable to cater different sizes of room by increasing flow capacity and selecting the suitable size of air pump. Furthermore, it can be used as a wall fixture where greater air loop can be created which increases the rate of air circulation per hour by 30%.

In a further possible embodiment according to the present invention, the system provides precise control over performance, power consumption and breakdown potential resulting in effective and accurate control over air quality. The negative ions are proven to have an activating influence on body systems and cognitive performance as well as impede microbial activity.

In a further possible embodiment according to the present invention, activated catalyst filter is designed to regulate the ozone levels in the ambient air, ensuring maximum disinfection while keeping the ambient levels below threshold values.

In a further possible embodiment according to the present invention, the electric discharge generates controlled electron stream which emit minimum and precisely controlled ultra violet radiation to enhance disinfection, which is however negligible and harmless to direct human exposure.

In a further possible embodiment according to the present invention, the electric field filter can be used as a purification module to replace HEPA filters in central HVAC systems.

In a further possible embodiment according to the present invention, the said electric field filter design can be used as an off-gas scrubber for industries with toxic off-gases.

In a further possible embodiment according to the present invention, the electric field filter with microchannels to facilitate water flow can disinfect water efficiently without using chemicals.

In a further possible embodiment according to the present invention, a hygroscopic filter integrated with the system can condition the air and reduce the relative humidity levels for adaptive moisture control.

In a further possible embodiment according to the present invention, composite filter helps to remove odour present in the environment.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
Hereinafter, possible embodiments according to the invention and device according to the invention for purifying and disinfecting air are described in greater detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 illustrates an operational process of the system;

Fig. 2 illustrates an isometric view of the filter access and placement; it further represents the disinfection and purification region where the filters need to be mounted in a specific order;

Fig. 3 illustrates the novel ion-capture filter setup which consists of an integrated ionizer and collector plates;

Fig. 4 illustrates ionic wind generation.

Fig. 4.1, 4.2 illustrates configuration of electrodes assembly in Ionizer chamber

Figure 4.3 illustrates the surface of collector plate

List of Reference Sign/Numerals
Reference numerals Part description
100 Air purification and disinfection system
1 Inflow vent
10 Ion-capture filter
11 Integrated ionizer
12 Collector plate
13 Baffles
14 Electrodes
20 Hybrid electric composite filter
21 Pre-filter
22 HEPA filter
23 Activated catalyst filter
30 Fan
40 Outflow vent

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The following embodiments clearly and completely describes various technical features and advantageous of the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings [and non-limiting examples in the embodiments] of the present invention. Apparently, the described embodiments are some but not all of the embodiments of the present invention. The examples used herein are intended merely to facilitate an understanding of the ways in which the embodiments herein may be practices and to further enable those of skill in the art to practice the embodiments herein. Accordingly, the examples should not be construed as limiting the scope of the embodiments herein.

Figure 1 shows an operational process of the advanced and dynamic air purification and disinfection system (100). The air enters the system (100) through an inflow vent (1), which then passes through an ion-capture filter (10). The said ion-capture filter (10) has a powerful negative ionization chamber with controlled electric discharge which consists of an integrated ionizer (11) and collector plates (12).

The air is ionized and passed through a high potential electric field which removes 99.9% of the allergens, dust, soot smoke and other pollutants. These negative ions from the ion-capture filter (10) are proven to have an activating influence on body systems and cognitive performance as well as impede microbial activity.

Further, baffles (13) are provided on sides of the said ion-capture filter (10) to direct airflow and minimize losses.
The ionized air then passes through a hybrid electric composite filter (20) where a high static pressure is created. The said hybrid electric composite filter (20) consists of a stack of pre-filter (21), HEPA (High efficiency particulate air) filter (22), and an activated catalyst filter (23) stacked together to reduce the pressure drop between them and to facilitate higher clean air delivery. The said pre-filter (21) is a finely chopped fabric. The said HEPA filters (22) have a pleated structure made from a fibrous material which forms a complex web-like structure to trap the contaminant particles. These contaminant particles are trapped via inertial impaction and sieving. These particles either collide with the fibres and become trapped or are trapped while attempting to travel through the fibres. The medium sized particles, as they move through the filter, are grabbed by the fibres via interception, whereas the smaller particles are dissipated as they travel through the filter and eventually collide with a fibre and are trapped. The said activated catalyst filter (23) consists of a catalyst mixture which has high efficacy in absorbing volatile organic carbons (VOCs) like benzene, formaldehyde, toluene, etc. and regulates the ozone levels in the ambient air. The said catalyst mixture consists of activated carbon and manganese dioxide granules. Further, the use of integrated ionizer (11) and collector plates (12) results in agglomeration of finer particles and increases the HEPA filter (22) efficiency by at least 20% for finer particles. Further, the custom fan casing (30), makes the air flow through the system. The outflow vent/duct (40) releases purified and disinfected air. Furthermore, the system comprises of an intuitive indicator with colour gradient to display real time air quality which is controlled using IoT integration of device and air quality sensors. The said colour gradient intuitive indicator indicates blue light if air quality is good, and red light if air quality is bad.

Figure 2 illustrates an isomeric view of the filter access and placement and can be cleaned by the user with ease.

Figure 3 illustrates an ion-capture filter (10) setup which consists of an integrated ionizer (11) and collector plates (12).
The distance between the electrodes (14) is optimized for maximum efficiency.

Figure 4.1 and Figure 4.2 illustrates configuration of electrode assembly in an ionizer chamber which prevents uncontrolled flow of ionic wind from the device. Further, the electrodes (14) used in ionizer chamber are spaced 10-14mm for optimized maximum efficiency of electron migration and to avoid sparking between electrodes (14), alternate electrode are distant in both the axis horizontal and vertical, while the horizontal axis improves the migration of electrons, the vertical axis controls the ionic wind in chamber itself, device provides sufficient time for pathogens contact for disinfection and charging of airborne particles. Further, the system according to the present invention uses Stainless Steel 316L series of electrode. Furthermore, the configurations of electrodes assembly in Ionizer chamber shown in Fig 4.1 and Fig 4.2 are equally efficient, however, the configuration-2 is preferable due to ease of manufacturing.

Figure 4.3 illustrates the surface design engraved on collector plates (12), which are formed to improve the collection surface by 30%. This collector plate design improves the operational life of primary collector plates by 30%.

The dynamic system according to the present invention is explained herein with the help of following empirical equations which are meant to exemplify the invention and in no way should be construed to limit its scope and ambit.

The inter-electrode distance is optimized and the smart power and voltage driven circuit responds dynamically to air quality for higher efficiency while keeping the pressure drop minimum. The electric field between the plates is calculated as a function of CFM, potential, surface area and the distance between the plates. The plate size is designed as per the aspect ratio which is a function of length, breadth and the number of plates.

? The aspect ratio is determined by the given formula:
Aspect Ratio (AR) = (effective length of collector plate * no. of plates) / (effective height of collector plate) * Correction factor
where ‘correction factor’ is derived empirically and varies between 0.8-
1.2 subject to discharge potential, current density and material conductivity.
Efficiency>99% s observed for AR between 1 to 1.5

? The clean air delivery rate is determined by the given formula:
CADR = f (v,A)
where, v is the duct velocity
A is the duct Area

? Electric Filter Design Equation:
Filter Efficiency = f(E,A,AR)
where, E is the Electric Field (V/m)
A is the surface area of the plate (m)
AR is a dimensionless number which is the ratio of the length and breadth of the plate.

? Collection Efficiency of Electric Filter:
CE = f(w,A,k)
where, CE is the collection efficiency
w is the average migration velocity of the pollutants, cm/s
A is the collection area, m2
k is a factor to measure voltage fluctuation from mean to better interpret changing pollutants. k can be used to select modulated power amplification for greater pollutant breakdown.

? AQI calculation formula:
AQI = f(PM2.5,PM10,SOx,NOx,CO)
where, PM2.5 is the concentration of particulate matter in ppm (2.5-micron diameter)
PM10 is the concentration of particulate matter in ppm (10-micron diameter)
SOx is the concentration of sulphur oxides in ppm.
NOx is the concentration of nitrogen oxides in ppm.
CO is the concentration of carbon monoxide in ppm.

Technical advancements of the present invention:
? Complete smart automation aided by machine learning eliminates the need for human interference and reduces breakdown probability. This results in optimal performance and better economic returns.
? Smart feedback system control look reduces the power consumption by 20%
? Filter arrangement and air flow pattern reduces the size of the system by at least 15%, while achieving 50% higher ACH (Air changes per hour)
? Pre-stacked composite filter design reduces the pressure drop by at least 5%
? Ion capture filter increases the composite filter life by at least 50%

The foregoing descriptions are merely specific embodiments of the present invention, but are not intended to limit the protection scope of the present invention. Any variation or replacement readily figured out by a person skilled in the art within the technical scope disclosed in the present invention shall fall within the protection scope of the present invention. Therefore, the protection scope of the present invention shall be subject to the protection scope of the claims.